Sharpenthe arrows,fillthe quivers!The LORDhas arousedthe spiritof the kingsof the Medes,BecauseHis purposeis againstBabylonto destroyit; For it is the vengeanceof the LORD,vengeancefor His temple.
Then the LORDraisedup an adversaryto Solomon,Hadadthe Edomite;he was of the royallinein Edom.
Godalso raisedup [another] adversaryto him, Rezonthe sonof Eliada,whohad fledfrom his lordHadadezerkingof Zobah.
So the Godof Israelstirredup the spiritof Pul,kingof Assyria,even the spiritof Tilgath-pilneserkingof Assyria,and he carriedthem awayinto exile,namely the Reubenites,the Gaditesand the half-tribeof Manasseh,and broughtthem to Halah,Habor,Haraand to the riverof Gozan,to thisday.
Now in the firstyearof Cyruskingof Persia--in order to fulfillthe wordof the LORDby the mouthof Jeremiah--the LORDstirredup the spiritof Cyruskingof Persia,so that he senta proclamationthroughouthis kingdom,and also[put it] in writing,saying,
Now in the firstyearof Cyruskingof Persia,in order to fulfillthe wordof the LORDby the mouthof Jeremiah,the LORDstirredup the spiritof Cyruskingof Persia,so that he senta proclamationthroughout allhis kingdom,and also[put it] in writing,saying:
The LORDof hostswill arousea scourgeagainsthim like the slaughterof Midianat the rockof Oreb;and His staffwill be overthe seaand He will liftit up the way[He did] in Egypt.
A harshvisionhas been shownto me; The treacherousone [still] dealstreacherously,and the destroyer[still] destroys.Goup, Elam,laysiege,Media;I have madean endof allthe groaningshe has caused.
They setthe table,they spreadout the cloth,they eat,they drink;"Riseup, captains,oilthe shields,"
"I have arousedone from the north,and he has come;From the risingof the sunhe will callon My name;And he will comeupon rulersas [upon] mortar,Even as the pottertreadsclay."
Thussaysthe LORDto CyrusHis anointed,WhomI have takenby the righthand,To subduenationsbeforehim And to loosethe loinsof kings;To opendoorsbeforehim so that gateswill not be shut:
"I am the LORD,and thereis noother;BesidesMe thereis noGod.I will girdyou, though you have not knownMe;
Callinga birdof preyfrom the east,The manof My purposefrom a farcountry.TrulyI have spoken;trulyI will bringit to pass.I have planned[it, surely] I will doit.
and allthe kingsof Zimri,allthe kingsof Elamand allthe kingsof Media;
"Lineup the shieldand buckler,And drawnearfor the battle!
"Harnessthe horses,And mountthe steeds,And takeyour standwith helmets[on]! Polishthe spears,Puton the scale-armor!
Goup, you horses,and drivemadly,you chariots,That the mightymenmay marchforward:Ethiopiaand Put,that handlethe shield,And the Lydians,that handle[and] bendthe bow.
The LORDhas openedHis armoryAnd has broughtforththe weaponsof His indignation,For it is a workof the LordGODof hostsIn the landof the Chaldeans.
"For a nationhas comeup againsther out of the north;it will makeher landan objectof horror,and there will be noinhabitantin it. Bothmanand beasthave wanderedoff, they have goneaway!
Thereforehearthe planof the LORDwhichHe has plannedagainstBabylon,and His purposeswhichHe has purposedagainstthe landof the Chaldeans:surelythey will dragthem off,[even] the littleonesof the flock;surelyHe will maketheir pasturedesolatebecauseof them.
"For behold,I am going to arouseand bringup againstBabylonA hordeof greatnationsfrom the landof the north,And they will drawup [their] battlelinesagainst her; From thereshe will be takencaptive.Their arrowswill be like an expertwarriorWho does not returnempty-handed.
Liftup a signalagainstthe wallsof Babylon;Posta strongguard,Stationsentries,Placemen in ambush!For the LORDhas bothpurposedand performedWhatHe spokeconcerningthe inhabitantsof Babylon.
"But I will repayBabylonand allthe inhabitantsof Chaldeafor alltheir evilthat they have donein Zionbefore your eyes,"declaresthe LORD.
"May the violence[done] to me and to my fleshbe upon Babylon,"The inhabitantof Zionwill say;And, "May my bloodbe upon the inhabitantsof Chaldea,"Jerusalemwill say.
Thereforethussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am going to pleadyour caseAnd exactfullvengeancefor you; And I will dryup her seaAnd makeher fountaindry.
That same nightBelshazzarthe Chaldeankingwas slain.
Beatyour plowsharesinto swordsAnd your pruninghooksinto spears;Let the weaksay,"I am a mightyman."
Proclaimthisamong the nations:Preparea war;rousethe mightymen!Let allthe soldiersdrawnear,let them comeup!
I will also bringupon you a swordwhich will executevengeancefor the covenant;and when you gathertogether into your cities,I will sendpestilenceamongyou, so that you shall be deliveredinto enemyhands.
Now thiswill be the plaguewith whichthe LORDwill strikeallthe peopleswhohave goneto waragainstJerusalem;their fleshwill rotwhile they standon their feet,and their eyeswill rotin their sockets,and their tonguewill rotin their mouth.
For I will gatherallthe nationsagainstJerusalemto battle,and the citywill be captured,the housesplundered,the womenravishedand halfof the cityexiled,but the restof the peoplewill not be cutofffrom the city.
